Clockwork Hydra MTG Card

Time Spiral (TSP)
2006-10-06 - Number 253

Clockwork Hydra - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)

Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
2021-03-19 - Number 264

Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
2022-12-02 - Number 135

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact Creature — Hydra
Power	0
Toughness	0

Key Takeaways

Provides consistent board presence and card advantage as it replenishes its counters.
Instant speed reactionary ability allows strategic influence during any turn.
Demands careful deck construction to accommodate its specific mana needs.

Text of card

Clockwork Hydra comes into play with four +1/+1 counters on it. Whenever Clockwork Hydra attacks or blocks, remove a +1/+1 counter from it. If you do, Clockwork Hydra deals 1 damage to target creature or player. : Put a +1/+1 counter on Clockwork Hydra.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Clockwork Hydra can steadily replenish its +1/+1 counters, effectively offering sustained board presence and potentially deterring opposition over numerous turns. This persistence provides ongoing value, translating to a significant card advantage if it remains unchecked.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly facilitating mana production, Clockwork Hydra’s persisting counters can be viewed as a form of resource acceleration. It allows for the retention of a potent creature without the need for additional card or mana investment, indirectly speeding up your board state’s progression.

Instant Speed: While the Hydra itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it possesses the ability to deal damage to a target creature or player when one of its counters is removed, which can occur during anyone’s turn. This reactive capability enhances strategic flexibility, enabling you to influence the board on your terms.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Clockwork Hydra doesn’t directly require a discard to play, running it in a deck may force you to let go of other crucial cards to keep lands available for its substantial mana needs.

Specific Mana Cost: Clockwork Hydra has a restrictive mana cost involving two colorless and two green mana, which could limit its integration into multicolor or mana-flexible decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring four mana to cast, its benefits have to compete with other potential four-mana spell options, which may offer more immediate board impact or versatility in a match.

Reasons to Include Clockwork Hydra in Your Collection

Versatility: Clockwork Hydra is a flexible addition to any deck that leverages +1/+1 counters or artifact synergies. Its ability to adapt and function in various deck archetypes makes it a utility player in many MTG strategies.

Combo Potential: Its triggered ability offers not just board presence but also serves as a springboard for combos, particularly in decks that capitalize on dealing damage or proliferating counters.

Meta-Relevance: As the MTG landscape fluctuates, a card like Clockwork Hydra can become a significant threat, especially in environments where its consistent counter generation can outpace the opponent’s removal capabilities.

How to beat

The Clockwork Hydra presents an interesting challenge for those familiar with Magic: The Gathering, combining both offensive and defensive capabilities. Its key feature is the addition of +1/+1 counters, which are not just for attack and toughness bonuses but also serve as ammo for dealing damage to any target. This mechanical hydra, however, isn’t unbeatable.

To counter the Clockwork Hydra’s threat, removal spells that bypass the counter mechanic are effective. For instance, direct removal spells like “Path to Exile” or “Fatal Push” can dispatch it with minimal fuss. Enchantment-based solutions like “Pacifism” can also neutralize the creature without triggering its counter-based ability. Managing the board so that the Hydra is forced to use its counters defensively also reduces its efficacy, leaving it vulnerable to subsequent removal or combat tricks.

Cards that can administer -1/-1 counters, like “Black Sun’s Zenith,” can also deflate the Hydra’s potency, swiftly nullifying its advantage. In essence, while the Clockwork Hydra can be a formidable component in an opponent’s arsenal, employing targeted removal, enchantments, or -1/-1 counter strategies can effectively dismantle its mechanical might on the battlefield.

Cards like Clockwork Hydra

Clockwork Hydra is a unique artifact creature card that offers both a solid body and incremental advantage on the battlefield. It finds its kin in cards like Triskelion, which also provides a modular board presence with its ability to remove counters for direct damage. However, Clockwork Hydra brings something different with its defense-triggered ability to deal damage while also being self-repairing, unlike Triskelion’s one-and-done counter removal.

Walking Ballista operates on a similar platform. It also utilizes counters that can be removed to deal damage, but it boasts the additional flexibility of being cast for varying amounts of mana for differing effects. It doesn’t, however, replenish its counters like Clockwork Hydra, which can steadily grow in power through combat. Pentavus, another parallel, offers a repeatable creature token creation when removing counters, providing a way to populate the board in contrast to Clockwork Hydra’s focus on damage output and counter accrual through its triggered ability.

Although these cards share similarities in design, the Clockwork Hydra stands out. It offers a perpetually increasing threat each time it’s targeted, striking a balance between defensive utility and progressive board advantage among artifact creatures in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Clockwork Hydra by color, type and mana cost

The Deck of Many Things - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Clockwork Hydra MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and Time Spiral Remastered, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Clockwork Hydra and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Clockwork Hydra Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2006-10-06	Time Spiral	TSP	253	2003	Normal	Black	Daren Bader
2	2021-03-19	Time Spiral Remastered	TSR	264	2015	Normal	Black	Daren Bader
3	2022-12-02	Jumpstart 2022	J22	135	2015	Normal	Black	Brian Snõddy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Clockwork Hydra has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Clockwork Hydra card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2021-03-19	If Clockwork Hydra leaves the battlefield while its trigger is on the stack, you can’t remove a +1/+1 counter from it, so it won’t deal damage.
2021-03-19	If the chosen target is an illegal target by the time Clockwork Hydra’s triggered ability tries to resolve, the ability doesn’t resolve. You don’t remove a counter from Clockwork Hydra.